“Although some plants have already started injecting power to the national grid, synchronization of these newly constructed nine plants is now at the final stage and it will be possible to complete supply of the total 1786MW power to the grid by December,” said Director General of Power Cell Engineer Mohammad Hossain.

Once the supply of 1786MW power to the national grid completed, the strength of the national power supply network will stand at 23548MW.

Mohammad Hossain said the government has constructed all these heavy fuel oil, natural gas and coal-fired power plants under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Action Plan to achieve the 7th Fifth Year Plan.

“The government has been working relentlessly to increase power generation capacity as it has a target to bring all houses under cent percent electricity coverage by December 2020. We are hopeful of fulfilling this target in line with the government’s directives,” said the Power Cell DG.

Of the nine power plants, Mohammad Hossain said, 660MW coal-fired Payra Power Plant Unit-2 has been set up near Payra Sea Port in Patuakhali district which has started adding power to the national grid from this October. The plants-200MW natural gas power Ghorasal unit-4 and heavy fuel oil (HFO) based Bhairab 54MW and Patia, Chattogram 116MW are now supplying power to the national grid.

Natural gas-based 252MW Bibiyana (South) plant will be commissioned by November 2020.

Four power plants-115MW Chandpur unit, 206MW Ghorasal unit, 220MW Bhola and 115MW Thakurgaon unit will supply power to the national grid in December.

The Power Cell DG said an average of 98 percent of the population has access to electricity now.

To ensure cent percent power coverage and uninterrupted power supply, the government has been developing three mega ‘Power Hubs’ at Moheskhali, Matarbari and Pyara considering the availability of land, fuel transportation and load centre of electricity, Mohammad Hossain added.